When entering words for searches of a database of video program titles, very often the user is required to type in quite a long character string. Such a requirement can be very cumbersome and tedious when a person is using a numeric keypad, such as those found on most small hand-held electronic communication devices such as a numeric keypad on a TV remote control device.
One method that is very common in current art is the method that is used, for example, in applications such as a voice mail system. Such a system allows a caller to search a directory by the names of parties in the private branch exchange. In this application, the user would begin pressing numbers on the keypad, where each number is associated with up to three alphabetic characters. As soon as enough numbers on the keypad are pressed, the directory software can match the possible alphabetic combinations with a unique character string, for example a last name, currently listed in the directory, which is very limited in size (typically a few dozen names). If more than one selection applies, for example, if two people have a very short last name, such as “Hong,” then a sub-selection is offered, for example, directions to “press 1 for Martin Hong or press 2 for Susan Hong.” This method is essentially a very easy way to enter alphabetic characters using a numeric keypad.
Another application of using numeric keys to enter alphabetic characters is entering unlimited, undefined character strings, for example, names associated with telephone numbers in the memory of a communication device such as, for example, a cell phone. In this method, however, multiple keystrokes are required to enter the alphabetic string. For example, to spell the name “Dan,” the user may have to press 3 once, then 2 once, then 6 twice in quick succession, because N is the second character on the number 6 key.
The distinction between the first and the second application is that the first application has a very limited directory of words that can be entered; namely, the names in the directory of the phone system users, which is a fixed, defined directory. However, in the second application, multiple keystrokes are required to identify which of multiple characters are desired to create any undefined character string.